Yes, she was aware that there was ‘carrying on’ between the doctor and Miss Carson. So were others; Mrs. Barton and Annie Logan knew it.
“Thank you. Nurse Gilroy. They will give their evidence themselves.”
I pictured her nodding her head, self-righteously, glad because wickedness had been exposed and justice was being done.
“Let us go back to that day. Nurse Gilroy. Tell the court exactly what happened.”
And Nanny Gilroy told her story, how there had been the scene because Miss Adeline had been caught in Mrs. Marline’s bedroom and Mrs. Marline was scolding the girl when Miss Carson came in and said she shouldn’t, and Mrs. Marline was angry and was going to dismiss her. Then Miss Carson had fainted clean away. Annie Logan had examined her and it was clear what was wrong with her. That was, of course, no surprise. They all knew what was going on.
Annie Logan was called.
Yes, she had examined Miss Carson. There was no doubt that she was pregnant.
Then it was the turn of Mrs. Barton, the cook. She confirmed everything that Nanny Gilroy had said, though less venomously.
There was no doubt that Dr. Marline had been involved with Miss Carson and the whole household knew it.
Tom Yardley was called. He had found Mrs. Marline dead.
Shaken all of a heap, he was. Yes, he had known how things were.
Because of what he had seen or what he had heard from Nanny Gilroy or Mrs. Barton?
Tom Yardley looked surprised, the paper commented. I could imagine his scratching his head, as though it would help him find the answer.
“I knew her,” he told them.
“She was a bit of a tartar and led him a life …”
He was stopped and told to answer the question.
I could see that Nanny Gilroy and the others had helped Dr. Marline on the way to execution; but I had to admit what they had said had truth in it, even if it were reported in the most damning way.
Medical evidence at the post mortem revealed without doubt that Mrs. Marline had died through an overdose of the drug which was being supplied to her by Dr. Everest.
There it was . all the evidence needed to convict the doctor and, even if Nanny Gilroy had given the impression that Dr. Marline was a hypocritical seducer. Miss Carson a scarlet woman and Mrs. Marline a poor betrayed wife, nothing she had said could be proved to be an actual untruth. It was merely Nanny Gilroy’s version of what had happened.
Then there were the letters.
Miss Carson had left Commonwood House and was away for a week.
She had said ‘visiting friends’, but it appeared that she had gone to a hotel in the town of Manley, some twenty miles away, and had stayed there for five days at the Bunch of Grapes.
While there, she had visited a doctor and pregnancy was confirmed.
During her stay there, she had received two letters from Dr. Marline, and she had kept those letters. They had been discovered when she was arrested and her belongings searched.
If any confirmation of Dr. Marline’s guilt had been needed, it could be found in those letters.
They were read in court.
My dearest Kitty, How I long for your return. It is so dismal here without you. Don’t fret, my darling, I’ll work something out. Whatever happens, we shall be together and, if there is indeed a child, how blessed we shall be.
You must not blame yourself. You say you should never have come here.
Well, my dearest, that would have been the worst of calamities, for, since you came, I have known such happiness as I had never thought would come my way. I am determined not to give up. Whatever has to be done, we will do it. Trust me, my darling. Yours for ever, Edward.
There was another letter on the same lines, vowing his eternal devotion, stressing the happiness she had brought him and his determination that nothing, nothing should stand in their way of keeping it.
I thought of what their feelings must have been when the letters were read in court, and the agony they must have suffered when they were on trial for their lives.
They were damning, those letters, and I was deeply moved. Oh, poor Dr. Marline. Oh, poor, poor Miss Carson. He had died ignobly in his misery, but she had had to live with hers.
I looked at my watch. It was half past three. I sat for a while, thinking of it all. There was a brief account of what happened afterwards. There had not been enough evidence to condemn Kitty Carson, and the fact that she was to have a child, as the press implied, meant that she could not be sent to the gallows.
What had happened to her, I wondered?
Dorothy came out and joined me.
“Well,” she said.
“You’ve read it?”
“Yes.”
“Obvious, isn’t it?”
“I suppose people would say so.”
“Wouldn’t you?”
“It would seem it must be. But you see, I knew him.”
“I know how you feel: you can’t bring yourself to believe he’s a murderer. Jefferson Craig wrote about that. His book is fascinating. I wrote to him when I read it. I told him how much I had enjoyed it. I had a nice letter back.”
“What happened to Miss Carson?”
“I think he looked after her. He did that with some people he was interested in. Rehabilitated them. That’s what they call it. I did hear that he had helped her.”
“I wonder so much about her.”
“Well, we shall never know, but you see, don’t you, that there really couldn’t have been any doubt.”
“I suppose most people would say so.”
She laughed and patted my hand.
“You don’t like that verdict, do you? It was a pity that woman couldn’t have died by natural causes and then the lovers could have married and lived happily ever after. They would have been an ordinary couple then. Oh yes, it’s a pity life didn’t work out like that. It does sometimes.
“Look, Lawrence is coming in. I expect he wants his tea.”
There were stables nearby where horses could be hired and later Lawrence and I went riding together. I had improved my riding considerably and he commented on my skill.
“One rode everywhere in Australia,” I told him.
“You are not thinking of returning, are you?”
“Not immediately.”
“Sometime?”
“Who is to say? Everything is so uncertain just now.”
“I can’t help thinking what a piece of luck it was that we both happened to be on that ship. If we hadn’t been there at precisely that time, we might never have met again.”
That’s true. But that is the way of life, isn’t it? So much is based on chance. “
He showed me the local beauty spots the vale, for which the place was famous, and the ancient ruined castle. We tethered our horses and climbed to the ramparts. We leaned over them, admiring the countryside.
“It would be difficult to find a more pleasant spot,” said Lawrence.
“Dorothy discovered it, of course. She thought we must have this country retreat. She was right, of course.”
I thought how right Dorothy always was.
“You and she get on very well together,” he said, smiling.
“She doesn’t usually take to people quite so quickly.”
“I’m glad,” I said.
“So am I,” replied Lawrence, smiling happily. And then:
“You’ll come again soon, won’t you?”
“If you and Dorothy ask me,” I replied.
Lawrence brought me back to Kensington on Sunday evening.
Gertie was waiting for me in some excitement.
“How was it? Successful, I am sure.”
“Yes, very.”
“And you passed all Dorothy’s tests?”
“There weren’t any. I expect I passed them before I went.”
“Of course. You wouldn’t have been asked otherwise. Now, listen. You are in demand. I think you must have been a femme fatale all these years and kept it
hidden.”
“Just because I was invited for the weekend.”
“Oh no. You’re rushing on too fast. Since you have been away, there have been new developments.”
“What do you mean?”
“Others have been seeking you,” she said mysteriously.
“Others?”
“Well, one. Isn’t that enough? Tall, handsome. One of those strong, forceful men. He left his card. Title as well. My word, Carmel, you are a dark horse.”
“What is all this about?”
“Well, what should happen on Saturday morning, while you were far off, charming the gallant Lawrence and his sister? There was a ring at the doorbell and there stood the most intriguing man. Annie was all of a fluster, and you should have seen Aunt Bee! You can imagine how her mind started working.
“I believe Miss Carmel Sinclair is staying here.”
“Well, yes,” replied Aunt Bee, falling immediate victim to his charm.
“I’m a friend of hers,” says the gentleman.
“I wonder if I might see her?”
“I’m sure you could, if she were here,” responds Aunt Bee.
“But she happens to have gone off for the weekend with friends.”
Aunt Bee said he looked very disappointed. She was really taken with him. She said there was something really romantic about this one, and when she saw the name on the card, she almost fainted in ecstasy. Now, you must tell me, who is this Sir Lucian Crompton? I can see recognition dawning on your face, so don’t deny all knowledge of the fascinating stranger. “
“I wasn’t going to. Of course I know him. I’d forgotten he’d got the title when his father died.”
“You’ve never mentioned him.”
“Why should I? I knew him long ago, before I went to Australia. And, as a matter of fact, I saw him recently.”
“Was he the one you looked up on the way to Maidstone?”
“Not exactly, but I did happen to meet him.”
“You didn’t tell me!” cried Gertie, outraged.
“There wasn’t anything to tell.”
“But you implied the visit was not successful. Then, only a little while after, he turns up. I call that very successful.”
“Well,” I said, ‘perhaps it was. “
“The outcome is that he’s left a note for you. He wrote it here. It’s waiting for you. I’ll get it now.”
Gertie brought the note and I took it to my room to read. She was laughing secretly and did not attempt to follow me.
Dear Carmel [I read], It was so interesting meeting you again. I am in Town today and I was wondering whether we could have lunch together, but your friends told me that you were away for the weekend. I was very disappointed not to be able to see you.
I shall be coming up again on Wednesday. There is a pleasant little place I go to now and then. It’s Logan’s in Talbrook Street, off Piccadilly. If you could meet me there at one o’clock I should be delighted. I shall be there in any case and do hope you will be able to join me. Lucian.
I was smiling as I folded the letter. I felt excited. It was wonderful to be able to feel interested again.
I sat opposite him in Logan’s Restaurant. I could see why Aunt Beatrice had been so impressed. Although he might not be as handsome as Gertie had said, he was certainly distinguished-looking, and looked more like the boy I had known long ago than the man I had met recently in | Easentree. He was obviously pleased to see me.
“I should have been very disappointed if you hadn’t come,” he told me.
“It’s fun to renew old acquaintances.”
“There is so much to catch up with. Now, what are you going to eat?”
When that had been decided and the food brought, he said once more how lucky it was that we had met when about to cross the road at Easentree.
“It was much the same with the friend with whom I have been staying.
He happened to be coming back from Egypt on our ship. I had met him on the first voyage, when I went out with my father. Life is full of such incidents. “
“The consolation is that, if they didn’t happen, we shouldn’t know what we had missed. Tell me about your weekend.”
I told him.
“It is a very pleasant spot. Lawrence Emmerson has a wonderfully efficient sister who looks after everything.”
He showed a great interest in the Emmersons and the story of the Suez rescue came out.
“It still seems extraordinary to me,” I finished.
“Do you believe in miracles? In simple faith, I mean.”
He looked puzzled and I told him how Gertie and I had stood in the middle of the road and prayed, and almost immediately, it seemed, Dr. Emmerson had appeared and got us to the ship in time, although we had had to climb the rope-ladder.
“Well,” he said, “I have heard that faith can move mountains and, compared with that, the doctor’s gallant rescue seems rather a minor feat.”
“It was miraculous to us. There are moments in one’s life which I suppose one never forgets. That is one of them for me.”
He looked serious for a moment. Then he said: “Yes, I am sure that will be so.”
I thought for a moment that he was going to tell me in of some memorable moment in his life, but he did not.
“I suppose,” he went on, ‘he seemed a hero to you. St. George slaying your particular dragon. Galahad, Parsifal . someone like that. “
“Gertie and I spoke of him with reverence for a long time after.”
“And still do?”
“Gertie wouldn’t feel reverent towards anyone not even Bernard, her fiance.”
“What about you?”
“I shall always be grateful for what he did on that day.”
“Tell me more about that visit to the country and the clever sister.”
I talked of them with enthusiasm and he listened intently.
He said: “You must come to the Grange and stay a week end with us.
We’ll see if we can rival the Emmersons. “
I thought of the visits to tea with Estella, Adeline and Henry, and the idea of going to the Grange was rather disconcerting.
“You must come. My mother would like to meet you. She remembers you. I told her about our meeting in Easentree. Camilla would be interested too. Perhaps I could get her to come for the weekend. What about that?”
“It would be most interesting.”
He said quickly: “” I promise you, we won’t go near Commonwood.
Actually, you can ride by without seeing the house. Everything’s so overgrown. “
“I wasn’t thinking of that. I was just wondering if your family would er … want to see me.”
He looked puzzled.
“After what happened at Commonwood House.”
“What happened there had nothing to do with you. And what if it had?”
“The doctor was my uncle. It might be considered better to avoid people connected with such unsavoury happenings
“My dear Carmel, as if we should feel like that! In any case, the whole business is over. It’s years back.”
“Do you think people would know me? People living around, I mean?”
“I shouldn’t think so. You were only a child when it happened. Oh, we are back to this miserable subject again. Listen. It’s over. It’s best forgotten. You’re letting this affair obsess you. It’s all over. It’s in the past.” He spoke vehemently.
“There is nothing anyone can do to change what happened.”
“Of course you are right, Lucian. I should love to come. It would be so nice to see Camilla again, and if your mother is agreeable.”
“My mother will be very pleased to see you. Actually, she said so.”
“Then, thank you, Lucian.”
“What about the week after next?”
“That would suit me very well.”
“We’ll say yes then. I’ll write to you and confirm.”
And so it was settled.
I went back in
a state of pleasurable excitement. I remembered how I had lost my pendant and Lucian had had it repaired. I still had the pendant. When I arrived back at the house I took it from its box and held it in my hands while my thoughts went back over the years to that day which was really when I had first met Lucian.
I was smiling as I put it back into the box which was playing “God Save the Queen’.
The Grange looked less formidable than it had in my childhood. It was very impressive, none the less, with its grey stone towers and battlemented gateway.
Lucian, who had been at the station with a pony and trap, greeted me warmly.
“I have been ridiculously scared that something would happen to prevent your coming.”
“Oh no. I was determined to.”
“It’s good to see you. Camilla was delighted when she heard you were coming.”
It was certainly a warm welcome. We went under the gateway. I could see the lawn where we had had tea on that first occasion; and there was Camilla, hardly recognizable as the girl I had known. She was rather plump and obviously pleased with the way life had gone for her.
She gripped both my hands.
“I couldn’t believe it when Lucian said he’d found you. Isn’t it exciting that you’ve come back!”
I was taken into the hall. I remembered it so well arriving for tea, feeling rather nervous, the outsider until Lucian appeared and made me feel I wasn’t. How I had adored him in those days!
“Better come straight up to my mother,” said Lucian.
“She is so eager to see you.”
I could scarcely believe it. Lady Crompton had shown no interest in me in the old days.
I was taken into a room which they called the solarium because it had numerous windows which caught all the available sun. Lady Crompton was seated in a chair near the windows and, with Lucian on one side and Camilla on the other, I was taken over to her.
She held out a hand and I took it.
“How nice to see you, my dear,” she said.
“I have heard about your meeting with Lucian. I was most interested. I hear you have come from Australia. You must tell us all about it. Camilla, bring a chair so that Carmel can sit near me. My hearing is not very good nowadays and my rheumatism is crippling. And how are you? You look well.”
I noticed that she had aged more than the years warranted. She had lost her husband and then there had been the death of her daughter-in-law, Lucian’s wife. That must have been a sorrow to her.
The Black Opal Page 21
